11 



In a previous letter to the Department, he says : 



It is planted with us in the beginning of April, and admits of the first cutting the 

 last week of May. It makes very large bunches, and should be cut before exceeding 

 the height of 18 inches. Iu that stage it is very sweet, tender, and easily cured as 

 hay. In moderately fertilized land and favorable seasons it may be cut every five or 

 six weeks, yielding, by throwing out numerous stolons, increased crops until killed 

 down by frost. The roots are easily protected during winter by a good covering of 

 earth, like the rattoons of sugar-canes, and allowing of a manifold division, they afford 

 the best means of propagation. These root-cuttings are set out in March or the begin- 

 ning of April. 



Crab Grass, Panicum sanguinale, PL III. 



This grass was not mentioned in the circular of inquiry, but so many 

 have referred to it in the reports that is here inserted. It is an annual 

 grass, a native of the Old World, which has become spread over most 

 parts of this country, and is the one commonly called Crab-grass in the 

 Southern States. It occurs in cultivated and waste grounds, and grows 

 very rapidly during the hot summer months. The stems usually rise 

 to the height of 2 or 3 feet and bear at the summit three to six flower 

 spikes, each 4 to 6 inches long. The stems are bent at the lower joints^ 

 where they frequently take root. 



Professor Kellebrew, of Tennessee, says : 



It is a fine pasture grass, but it has few leaves at the base and forms no sward, yet 

 it sends out from its base numerous stems or branches. It fills all our corn-fields, 

 and many persons pull it out for feed, which is a tedious process. It makes sweet 

 hay, and horses are exceedingly fond of it, leaving the best of other hay to eat it. 



Professor Phares, of Mississippi, says : 



For a number of years I pursued the following plan with much satisfaction. A 

 piece of land that had matured plenty of Crab-grass seed was prepared, and in the 

 fall sowed with Bur Clover for winter and spring pasture. As usual, the clover ma- 

 tured seed and died in May. Immediately the Crab-grass came up very thick. This 

 was mowed in July and again in August and October. The process was repeated for 

 a number of years without rcseeding or any other work than mowing the grass. The 

 Bur Clover was never mowed, bat grazed from December until April, after which it 

 was allowed to cover the ground and mature seed. The process was continued, with- 

 out diminution of yield, until the larid was wanted for another purpose. 



E. W. Jones, Buena Vista, Miss. : 



Crab-grass is one of our best hay and pasture grasses. It will make two tons of 

 first quality of hay per acre. All that is necessary is to plow and harrow the ground 

 in April, May, or June, and you will be sure of a crop. It grows well on ordinary 

 lands, but on sandy lands best. 



W. S. Harrison, Starkville, Miss. : 



It will not make permanent pastures or meadows, but requires the plow, and is 

 almost inseparable from cultivation. After an oat crop it gives a good yield of hay, 

 and after other crops are gathered it makes tine pasture. 



James B. Seger, Handsborough, Miss. : ■ 



Our natural "hay- grass" is Crab-grass, which comes on after spring gardens are 

 marketed. A field set in Crab-grass and cultivated in any manner during the spring 

 will never fail to grow a good hay crop without any seeding or other cultivation. 

 One ton to the acre on our average coast lands is about the yield. We plant pota- 



